The Turning Away
by Northwest Sage
Summary: G1: Come say goodbye to an old friend, as Trailbreaker decides to retire. See what he meant to Grimlock, Mirage, and others in Flashback scenes that show how important Trailbreaker truly is to the Autobot cause.


THE TURNING AWAY

_It had been six months since the Autobots, and unfortunately the Decepticons, had reawakened on Earth. Since that time, the battle that was once reserved for Cybertron now took place on a new battlefield. Recently, Optimus Prime and Megatron, the Decepticon commander, had taken part in a one-on-one struggle to end the conflict. After learning Megatron had cheated in their heavy metal war, by incorporating the power chips of his fellow Decepticons to give him an unfair advantage, the outcome was ignored and the terms of defeat weren't honored._

_The entire ordeal caused many Autobots to ponder their own eventual end. Having seemingly been defeated for the final time, it brought a new perspective to viewing not only the Autobot/Decepticon conflict, but their own individual trails as well._

_"How do you see it ending?" Trailbreaker asked his friend, Ironhide._

_"What? The war?" Ironhide asked, wanting a clearer question._

_Trailbreaker shook his head. "No, not the war. On a personal level, an individual basis. How will it end for say, you and me?"_

_Ironhide leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. "Well, it won't be death," he stated. "We're both too stubborn to die." Trailbreaker chuckled, finding no reason not to agree with the bold statement. "When the day comes one of us leaves the war, it'll be a personal choice."_

_"Retirement?" Trailbreaker asked._

_"Unless you know of some other word for it," Ironhide laughed._

_"How do you envision it'll go? You and me saying good-bye to each other while on the targeting range?" Trailbreaker started laughing himself, finding the image of such an event quite funny._

_Ironhide thought for a moment. "Well, it'll probably be you and me in your quarters, like it is right now." He looked around at the inside of Trailbreaker's living space. "But we won't say goodbye."_

_"No?" Trailbreaker asked, somewhat surprised by his friends prediction. "Why not?"_

_"When that day eventually comes, when one of us leaves," Ironhide stated, "I don't want to end it on a downer. I don't want the last words we say to each other to be goodbye." The conversation had started to annoy the usually gruff security officer, and he opted to head out to check the duty roster. "I'd rather share one final story. One final stroll down memory lane," he finished, exiting the room and leaving Trailbreaker behind._

_"A story, eh?" Trailbreaker sighed, trying to imagine what final tale they'd share when it came time to bid one of them a heartfelt farewell. "That'll work," he replied._

**2**

Trailbreaker was actually starting to dread the day's upcoming event. He knew a bunch of his old friends would stand before the assembly and tell fond memories and share forgotten stories. Honor his achievements. Impress upon him his place in history. But one old friend, at one time- his best friend, Ironhide, wouldn't be there. Shortly before Ironhide departed on a long-term assignment, they had a falling out. It's been two earth years since they last spoke.

But that was in the past, much like the adventures soon to be revisited in a collection of short speeches. His body was tired, his spirit was weak, and the once blinding spark of enthusiasm had faded into a humble flicker. The one thing all great warriors feared had finally caught up with him, the realization he had grown old. Outdated. Without purpose. He had become a relic.

The decision to retire had been in the making for the last three months. It wasn't a choice he made hastily, but it was time to step down and he made his desire known to the proper personnel. Optimus Prime even attempted to talk him out of it, but Trailbreaker had made up his mind. It was time to step down, stand aside, and walk into the sunset.

He wasn't exactly looking forward to the ceremony. Eight months ago, he attended a function for Bluestreak, one of the greatest Autobot gunners to ever join the Autobots. But the ceremony ran a bit long, and soon turned into an ordeal just to sit through. Trailbreaker liked Bluestreak, but the way he and some of the speakers went on and on, it almost seemed like a pity party. Trailbreaker did not want that to happen again. He was old-school, a soldier from a previous generation. If you wished to offer sincere thanks or modest appreciation, so be it. But spare him your pity, or risk earning his matured wrath.

If he weren't such a devout observer of proper protocol, he'd have no problems simply turning in his resignation and then finding a rock in space to call his new home. But a Retirement Ceremony was a proud tradition in the Autobot ranks, and Trailbreaker would comply. For a moment, he pondered which stories would be introduced to the gathering. Some made him smile, while others left him simply shaking his head. That led him to question who the actual speakers would turn out to be. While there would likely be an audience of nearly forty Autobots present, a most of them were practically strangers. Trailbreaker was never fond of being the center of attention. Being the center of attention before a bunch of unfamiliar faces was even less desirable. Still, Optimus Prime, who organized the event since he's the commanding officer, is well known for selecting the appropriate speakers. A handful of his peers would take turns talking, usually taking longer than they had planned.

He stood up and headed out of his personal quarters, which was basically empty except for the built-in monitors and control panels. He made plans to finish what little packing remained as soon as the ceremony was over. Some of his belongings had already been loaded onto a shuttle, the same shuttle that would later escort him out of the Ark... off the planet Earth... and into a sea of stars. With a final sigh, he headed to the ceremony.

**3**

_Trailbreaker noticed a solitary figure standing against a wall, lost within his own thoughts. Something urged Trailbreaker to approach him. "I can tell by the crispness of your insignia that you're new around here."_

_"Yeah," he answered, not really wanting to engage in a conversation, but not wanting to seem impolite at the same time. "I joined the Autobot ranks a week ago."_

_Trailbreaker let out a gentle chuckle. "So you're a noob."_

_"I beg your pardon?" the other Autobot snapped, unsure if he should be offended by the remark._

_"All that means is that you're new," Trailbreaker explained, realizing his words may have seemed insulting to someone unfamiliar with the term. "You seem to be in deep thought, mind if I ask what you're thinking?" The apparently aloof soldier refused to acknowledge the question. While at first he didn't want to come across as disrespectful, he had no desire to share his personal thoughts with a total stranger. Perhaps by ignoring all further attempts to start a discussion, his uninvited visitor would take the hint and walk away. But with Trailbreaker, that route never worked._

_"Well, I think I have a pretty good idea of what's bothering you." Trailbreaker leaned up against the same wall and took the same stance as his reluctant listener. "Sometime over the past seven days, a doubt crept into your soul. A doubt that had you questioning your decision to join the Autobots."_

_He paused for a brief moment, allowing the other Autobot a chance to respond. When no response came, he continued. "Each day, you manage to ignore the doubt, file it away somewhere in the back of your mind. But it's there again the following day- stronger than before. More powerful, more demanding of your attention, refusing to fade away. You find yourself, now, unsure of what to do... perhaps regretting your enrollment. You might even be wondering if it's too late to withdraw."_

_Trailbreaker shifted his weight, sneaking a quick glance to see if there had been any change in his new friend's appearance. "Get used to it," he stated. "It happens to the best of us." Just when he was about to give up on getting some type of response from the other Autobot, his younger comrade finally broke through his self-imposed wall of silence._

_"How do you handle it?" he asked. "How do you justify being here, wearing that insignia? How do you keep the doubt from paralyzing you?""_

_Trailbreaker gave up the increasingly less comfortable stance and stepped away from the wall. He motioned for his soft spoken and struggling ally to follow him. After walking a few yards, they came to an overlook and stood high above a busy city plaza. "I think about all the lives the Decepticons have destroyed," Trailbreaker spoke. "Then I think of all the ones we've saved."_

_"Thanks." The compliment was sincere._

_Trailbreaker places his hand atop the other Autobot's shoulder. "Any time you need to talk to someone, you look me up. My name is Trailbreaker, and I'm very easy to get a hold of." They waked side by side for a few seconds, before Trailbreaker spoke again. "What's your name, soldier?"_

_The blue and white Autobot was apologetic for not introducing himself sooner. "Mirage," he answered. "My name is Mirage."_

**4**

The room was full of quiet conversations, with the topics ranging from recent missions to mild complaints about having to give up some of their free time to attend the ceremony. After a slight delay in getting things started, primarily due to ensuring everyone had made it inside, Mirage took the podium as the first to address the crowd. "We are gathered here to pay respects and honor one of our greatest soldiers. He saw a troubled and scared rookie, standing by himself in a sea of doubt, and threw him a lifejacket. I've never forgotten that and never will."

There was no hesitation in Mirage's voice. He meant each word of what he was saying, and could've gone on for hours had he been given the opportunity. As it was, his speech would end up being a rather short one. "I've talked with Trailbreaker thousands of times since that day, and each time he made me feel like we were the only two beings in existence." He looked directly at his honored friend. "Trailbreaker, you are a legend, a hero, and a true credit to the Autobot cause. I may still have my doubts about this war, but one thing is clear of any doubt- you are an inspiration and a true beacon of light in an otherwise cold, dark place. You will be missed greatly." Mirage displayed a genuine smile and gave Trailbreaker a thumbs-up motion, then excused himself and opened the floor to the next speaker.

**5**

_Hound struggled with his guilt, a struggle he was solidly losing. Two days ago, he had returned from a routine scouting mission and delivered his data directly to Optimus Prime. Iacon had been under heavy fire by the increasingly hostile Decepticon Army. Hound's job was to find a new pathway for the supply vehicles to and from Iacon. Four of the last five convoys, carrying every thing from weapons and generators to medical equipment and energon cubes, had been attacked and devoured._

_Is this the safest route? Has the area ever been targeted by Decepticon patrols? Are there sufficient alternate routes in the event of an ambush? Hound answered those and other questions asked by Optimus Prime. Based on the answers given, the decision was made to adhere to Hound's suggested route starting the following day._

_Hound was in his personal quarters doing research on holographic technology when he received the news. If the news had come from one of the higher-ups, perhaps Optimus himself or Ratchet, the chief medical officer, it may have been easier to take. But that's not how it happened, instead, it came from the only survivor. "Nice outline you came up with!"_

_Startled, Hound looked up from his research and saw Huffer marching towards him. Huffer, an engineer that also worked on the supply line, was visibly upset and his optics placed the blame on Hound. Although slightly shorter, Huffer was deceivingly powerful and grabbed Hound by throat, lifting him up into the air. "Thanks to your recommendations of an alternate route, I lost nine of my friends today!" Huffer released his hold and let Hound drop back into his chair. He placed his hands on Hound's shoulders and shook him violently. "Nine! Nine friends gone-DEAD- because we listened to you!"_

_Huffer's voice had gotten progressively louder, catching the attention of security. They promptly removed Huffer from Hound's quarters and ushered him to the medical bay for a proper mental evaluation. Not long after the altercation, Optimus visited with Hound and gave him the formal report of what had happened. The convoy was attacked and only Huffer survived. The Autobot leader showed zero angst towards his apologetic scout. He stressed to him that what happened wasn't his fault. Things like that happened in times of war, and urged him not to dwell on it. Optimus finished his pep talk by reaffirming his faith in Hound's abilities and letting him know Huffer would be reprimanded for his actions._

_Trailbreaker was well aware of the recent massacre, and had been appraised of Huffer's violent outburst against Hound. In his earlier days, Trailbreaker had served as a scout, and understood the stress that went along with the role. The word of a scout was often taken as gospel, an unfair example of total-reliance. He understood that there were outside factors, unexpected occurrences that often wrecked the information given from a scout._

_Scouts weren't allowed to make mistakes. They weren't given the luxury of trial and error. What happened after a scout's final report, despite being completely out of their control, was often seen by others as failing to do their job. It would be like getting angry with a cookie baker because the price of milk went up. It was misguided anger, and a painful part of accepting the moniker._

_Trailbreaker didn't bother asking for permission to enter Hound's quarters. "You know, I once watched as twenty-five recruits participated in a training exercise on a path I recommended," Trailbreaker remembered. "Seven minutes after the exercise started, a Decepticon air strike swooped in. I watched them all die... never saw it coming, but my recommendation put them on that road." It wasn't a pleasant memory._

_"If you're trying to cheer me up, you're doing a lousy job," Hound stated._

_Trailbreaker stood close to the door, he didn't plan on staying more than a couple of minutes. "I'm letting you know we all make calls we wish we could take back. It's a part of the game... a part of war." He couldn't help but notice how neat and tidy Hound's quarters were, almost as well kept as his own. "You need to let it go. The guilt you're feeling- I know, because I've been where you are right now. Let it go and move on, or it'll drive you mad." Those words of wisdom were never forgotten._

**6**

"When I found out Trailbreaker was retiring, I was overcome by several emotions. First, I was glad for him, he's had a fantastic career and made countless contributions to the Autobot cause." Hound was a natural speaker; his tone was both passive and yet demanding of attention. He stood tall; his hands firmly placed on the podium, and pronounced each word with perfect enunciation. Had he been human, he would've made a wonderful politician. "Then, I was somewhat jealous, I mean who wouldn't be? He's an honored member of society, and now here he is getting out and embarking on what undoubtedly will be a pleasant and well-deserved reprieve from the war."

"I was envious of the things he had done, and things he now stands yet to do," Hound continued. "And finally, when the announcement of his retirement hit me, and I mean really hit me, I became sad." He seemed to stumble for a brief moment, something that doesn't normally happen when speaking before an audience. "A great friend has decided to leave our cozy little home away from home, and I'll probably never see him again." Maintaining his composure, he went on. "I'm not saying this to cause any feelings of guilt, but I mean- come on! When's the last time anyone here heard from Hauler?" Laughter rose from the seated onlookers, knowing full well of Hauler's history within their ranks.

Shortly after arriving on Earth, Hauler was dispatched to bring in an injured Hound. The dull-yellow truck crane returned Hound to the Ark for repairs, marched right into Optimus Prime's quarters, and handed in his resignation. End of story. To his credit, Hauler had been a productive member of the Autobot faction for millions of years. The timing of his resignation, that being only days after reawakening on Earth and following his very first assignment- retrieving an injured Hound, was found somewhat humorous to a majority of the Autobots. He's presumed still to be on Earth, but his whereabouts remain a mystery.

Hound began the final stretch of his speech, happy that he was able to provide some laughter. "I sincerely hope I do see you again. That someday in the near future, after you've settled in and enjoyed the newness of being a civilian, you decide to bless us with a visit." He stealthily turned to the final note card at his disposal. "To share some of your wisdom, enlighten us as to how you've been, and to make us smile with your enjoyable sense of humor. But if for some reason you don't return, or you do and I'm not here to greet you, you be sure to take care of yourself." Hound had the final line of the speech memorized, so he neatly folded the notes before him and held them in his fist. "And I hope one day Primus lets you fully understand just how much you've meant not just to the Autobots, but to me personally."

**7**

_Grimlock cursed his attackers, and then himself for walking directly into a Decepticon trap. He had informed Optimus Prime of Decepticon activity forty miles east of the Ark earlier in the day. As Grimlock, the fierce leader of the Dinobots, waited for the order to investigate to be given, planned several attack strategies and grew eager to depart. He was understandably upset when no such order was given._

_Prime had a feeling it was a set-up, an attempt to lure an Autobot patrol into an ambush. Grimlock argued for several minutes with his superior officer, but was unable to change Prime's perception of the situation. Knowing how well Grimlock listened to words he didn't want to hear, Optimus issued a direct order not to leave the Ark._

_So that's exactly what didn't happen. Shrugging off the order, because he knew there was a need for action, Grimlock waited a few minutes and left the Ark, headed towards where the Decepticons were apparently wreaking havoc. During the entire journey, he condemned Prime for being a horrible leader, a cowardice-infected commander who turned a blind eye when combat was needed._

_Almost immediately after arriving at the targeted location, Grimlock realized two things. One, there were no obvious signs of Decepticon activity, proving the intelligence he had received was in error. And two, the one that really aggravated the mechanical T-Rex, the reluctant acceptance that Optimus Prime had been correct. Standing in a clearing, alone and sure to be outgunned, he waited for the ambush to commence. He didn't have to wait long._

_The villains revealed themselves with an impressive amount of firepower. Grimlock was surprised to see that it was the Constructicons causing his dilemma. They appeared to be out of their element, a distinction Grimlock identified with as well._

_From what Grimlock could decipher, the master builders were testing some new weaponry, and he had offered himself up to be the test subject. Under normal circumstances, at least in his own mind, the Dinobot ruler could've handled the six green Decepticons. But he was caught off-guard, in the middle of a clearing without any form of protective cover, being hammered with electrical blasts that made it difficult for him to react. As his internal systems began to shut down, making him immobile, his optics watched in horror as the Constructicons ended their attack, only to merge into the giant known as Devastator._

_He silently reasoned that they were pleased with how their new weapons had performed, and had merged into Devastator with intent of ending the exercise with their bare hands. The Constructicons had always had a strong, personal dislike of the Dinobots, and vice versa. What better way to appease hatred than to literally rip your rival to pieces? Just as Devastator reached down to grab the helpless warrior, some unseen force prevented any more movement. It was as though the towering destroyer had been frozen in place. In a way, that's what had happened._

_With the six separate beings that shared a single mind tried in vain to analyze their predicament, Grimlock could see an approaching figure emerging form behind the stunned Decepticon wrecking machine. Relief overcame Grimlock as he identified the being as a fellow Autobot. "Trailbreaker," he forced out, his body slowly starting to re-energize itself. The name came out phonetically, Trail-brea-ker, partly because of the damage suffered, and partly because it was a big word._

_"Looks like you've been having fun," Trailbreaker joked, bending at the waist to inject a dose of refined energon directly into Grimlock's main internal relayer. The results were almost instantly seen, as Grimlock was able to rise to his feet, where he towered over Trailbreaker by a noticeable degree._

_"How you do that?" Grimlock asked, tossing a puzzled look at Devastator._

_"I created a force-field around him," he explained. "Then I compressed it until it became like a second skin, trapping him as is and preventing any further movement." He noticed the blank expression on Grimlock's face and offered up another answer. "I froze him."_

_Grimlock nodded. "That what me thought." Trailbreaker stated that the force-field would only hold for another few minutes, and that they should hurry on their way. "How you find me?"_

_"I was in the area," Trailbreaker answered. There was more to it than that, but whatever more there was, remained unsaid._

_Grimlock was thankful for Trailbreaker's assistance, but words such as 'Thank you' were rarely spoken by the rugged warrior. There was another thought on his mind, one he soon verbalized. "You going to tell Prime?"_

_"About how you disobeyed a direct order?" Trailbreaker asked, clearly poking fun as his troubled friend. "Tell him how the Constructicons nearly took you off-line?" He continued the suspense only for a few more seconds. "Nah, what would be the point?"_

_"You not tell Prime?" Grimlock asked._

_Trailbreaker reaffirmed what he had said. "You, almost being ripped in two by Devastator? Nobody would believe it." Grimlock quietly promised to one day do the right thing, and somehow express his appreciation of Trailbreaker's actions. The rest of the trip back to the Ark was in silence, with one very grateful head held a little higher._

**8**

Grimlock took his place at the podium and stood in awkward silence. It seemed like an eternity had passed, with everyone wondering what the delay was all about. "Maybe him broken today," Swoop whispered in Slag's direction, they and the other Dinobots worried for their apparently nervous leader. Even the usually cool and collected Optimus Prime was getting slightly anxious for the ceremony to continue. Finally, Grimlock spoke, and once he did, the audience understood why it took some time to get the words out.

It was the shortest speech of the night, yet proved to be one of the more powerful ones. Grimlock looked down at the guest of honor, and snapped a proper military salute. Then it came. Two little words directed solely towards Trailbreaker. He had kept his word and never reported the incident to Optimus Prime. Now, Grimlock would keep his promise to himself. A promise made years ago.

"Thank you."

**9**

At times, it was difficult to decide who was more touched by the emotional reflections, Trailbreaker himself or the audience. A sizable portion of those in attendance simply knew _of_ the guest of honor, only a select few _truly_knew the midnight colored defensive strategist. Those that offered their respects had served alongside him in countless battles over countless years. The others would see Trailbreaker at various locations inside the Ark and look on with awe, remembering the many tales they had heard whispered amongst the senior crew. But now, in this setting, with the finalization of the event and seeing the faces of those who openly praised the old school soldier, everyone was beginning to grasp just how important a figure Trailbreaker was to many influential Autobots. Powerglide, the minibot with a fighter plane transformation mode and a hunger for combat, summed up the general sentiment of those around him when he turned to Bumblebee and whispered, "If I'm remembered only half as fondly when my time comes, I'll know I'll have done a good job."

A few more speakers addressed the crowd and Trailbreaker in particular. Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky, two humans who served as guides for the Autobots when they first awoke on Earth, delivered a short, yet heartfelt speech. They admitted that it was Trailbreaker who first made them feel welcome within the Autobot ranks, and joked about his lack of speed in vehicle mode. Cliffjumper, a fiery red minibot full of competitive drive, spoke highly of Trailbreaker's determination and strong will. Wheeljack, a top engineer, read a statement from Jazz, who couldn't be there due to being on a special mission. Wheeljack then took a few minutes to add his own thanks and appreciation, before stepping down and allowing Optimus Prime to take center stage. The ceremony was about to be concluded. Trailbreaker was having mixed emotions as he realized it was almost over. Prior to taking his place in the center chair in the front row, he had hoped for a speedy process so he could get an early departure. Now, as the end hovered in the fast approaching future, he admitted silently he wouldn?t have minded if it had dragged on a little longer.

"Traditionally," Optimus Prime began, "the commanding officer shares some thoughts on the departing warrior and then concludes the ceremony." Something wasn't right, and for a brief moment Trailbreaker felt his circuits tingle in anticipation of what would come next. Is the ceremony being ended prematurely due to an impending Decepticon attack? Is there a situation with an Away Team, or has something transpired in a nearby populated city? "But this time, we're breaking away from tradition." Trailbreaker and the others in attendance realized there wasn't any outside threat by reading Prime's body language and settled back down to enjoy what was left of the event.

"I'm sure everyone in this room knows how I feel about Trailbreaker," Prime continued. "He's an excellent soldier and a trusted advisor." Hearing such rewarding praise from his leader filled Trailbreaker with a strong sense of pride. "Seeing as how everyone already knows what I'd be saying, I'm turning the closing of this ceremony over to someone just as special as our guest of honor." Prime left the stage and returned to his seat, leaving the audience and Trailbreaker exchanging puzzled stares and whispered guesses as to who it would be. Their curiosity would soon be satisfied.

As the mystery speaker approached the podium, nearly everyone in the room looked on with surprise. Perhaps none more caught off guard than Trailbreaker. Before his very optics stood his old friend Ironhide, obviously back from his latest assignment. "When I heard of Trailbreaker's decision to step down, I asked Optimus Prime if I could deliver the final speech." Not a single Autobot moved, afraid the slightest noise would cause them to miss a word. "He said 'sure', so here I am." Trailbreaker straightened his posture, clearly grateful for what was happening. "I won't be up here long," Ironhide stated. "I promise. Just- long enough."

He could be seen scanning a short pile of notes he had prepared, he wasn't as smooth as Hound when it came to public speaking and it showed through his lack of organizational skills. There were certainly stories of wild adventures, tall tales, and forgotten trials nestled in those notes. But after shuffling through the stack of written words four times, Ironhide decided to leave them alone and looked out into the crowd.

"Well, I had come up with a few things to say," Ironhide announced. "But looking at them now, I don't like how they sound!" He paused for a moment. "So I'll just say whatever comes to mind."

Trailbreaker couldn't resist. "Then it'll definitely be a short speech!"

There was a delayed reaction, as the audience waited for Ironhide's reaction before they erupted in united laughter. When a smirk fell across the speaker's face, permission to laugh was given. "I'm trying to say nice things about you, so shut up!" Trailbreaker nodded and mockingly apologized by a wave of his hands.

"Me and Trailbreaker, well, we had a falling out about two years ago." Ironhide was awkward in his revelation, unsure of how to process his emotions. "Haven't spoken to each other since." The crowd was dead silent; aware of how personal this scene was becoming. "To tell you the truth, I don't remember what we argued about." He found Trailbreaker in the front row, mouthing the words 'me neither'. "I always thought it would blow over, that one day we'd just start talking again and it'd be like nothing ever happened." He shot a helpless glance at Optimus Prime, searching for the strength to finish what he had started to say. "But for various reasons, that day never came." Ironhide's voice cracked and his usual stern expression took on a painful glow. Trailbreaker noticed his old friend fighting with himself to remain in control, and left his seat to join him on the platform.

The two legendary soldiers stood face to face, with a captive audience respectfully observing the display of undeniable friendship. "So," Ironhide forced out. "I'm making today... _that _day." Ironhide placed his hand atop Trailbreaker's shoulder and took a deep breath. "You're my best friend," he muttered out loud. "And damn you for nearly making me leak optical fluid." With that, the ceremony came to a satisfying conclusion.

**10**

It ended up being quite a taxing day for Trailbreaker. His choice to exit the Autobot ranks began to weigh heavy on his conscience. Hearing all the kind words and watching as his friends stood before him and shared their thoughts made what was soon to happen even that much harder. Leaving was always rough, and he knew it would be, but he didn't think it would be as hard as he was finding it.

Ironhide entered Trailbreaker's quarters and noticed him finishing up packing. "When does your shuttle leave?" he asked, carefully picking up some of the artifacts Trailbreaker had collected over the years and wrapping them in protective covers.

"In about an hour," Trailbreaker answered. His tone was rich with emotion, knowing that a final goodbye was quickly approaching. "What about you?"

Ironhide filled the storage unit he was using and securely fastened its lid. "-Bout an hour," he responded. "I'm overseeing a new security mainframe back on Cybertron. Gonna try and improve Iacon's early warning systems."

Trailbreaker stopped what he was doing and sat down, offering Ironhide a silent invite to do the same. "Thanks for showing up, buddy. It meant a lot to me for you to come and say all that stuff."

There was a sadness in the room that could not be ignored, an emotion neither one of them was comfortable in dealing with. "Don't mention it," Ironhide said, clearly trying to remain upbeat. He looked over at his old friend, and saw him staring blankly at his now empty walls. _"Hey," Ironhide said, somehow managing to crack a smile. "You remember that one time..."_

**The end.**


End file.
